Sapper W. Burrell, a railway signalman of Camperdown, Sydney, and born in Pyrmont, Sydney, New South Wales, was 22 years when he enlisted on 15 Nov. 1915. He embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A60 Aeneas, 20 Dec. 1915 and served as a stretcher-bearer with B. Company 17th Battalion 5 Infantry Brigade A.I.F. in France and Belgium Apr. 1916 - Sep. 1917. He was wounded when carrying injured men from the front line near Westhoek, 20 Sept. 1917 and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. After treatment in England he returned to France with a railway unit, the 4th Australian B.G.R.O. Company and returned to Australia on the Zealandia, 11 May 1919

Purchased from W. H. Burrell, 1919
Part of the European War Collecting Project (also known as the Soldiers' Diaries Collection or War Diaries Collection), established by the Trustees of the Mitchell Library in 1918